BOPE

The Police Special Operations Battalion (BOPE) is a military police/special forces unit from Brazil, founded in 1978. BOPE was formed to fight against crime in the favelas, and BOPE operatives were trained in urban warfare, making them more powerful than regular police personnel. BOPE forces exterminated drug trafficking factions, broke drug dealers' barricades, rescued police officers and civilians from criminal confrontations, put down prison riots, patrolled favelas, and took part in the suppression of high-risk criminal organizations. In 2016, BOPE had 400 operatives.